Going into the 2026 season, some Virginia Tech football players are on the radar of NFL scouts for the 2027 NFL Draft. However, some players could be flying under the radar when it comes to next season's draft.
One of those players who might be flying under the radar from outside of Blacksburg is kicker John Love. However, those who have followed the Hokies in recent years know just how big Love's leg is. Adam Fromal of Fansided.com listed four kickers who should already be on the 2027 NFL Draft radar, and Love was listed.
John Love should get a lot of pre-draft interest in 2026
Again, Hokies know what Love is capable of and how big his leg is when it comes to the kicking game. He is certainly a player who could be kicking on Sundays in the not-too-distant future. Last season, Andy Borregales made quite the impact for the New England Patriots on their run to the Super Bowl in his first season in Foxboro.
I'm not saying that Love is going to come in and lead an NFL team to the Super Bowl in his first season, but kickers making an impact right out of college in the NFL is not uncommon. As far as Love goes, his numbers are certainly those of someone who can have success at the next level.
Love owns a career-long of 60 yards against Minnesota in the Duke's Mayo Bowl in January 2025, while he has also connected on kicks of 56 and 57 yards for the Hokies. The kick against the Golden Gophers happened at the end of the first half at Bank of America Stadium. Love has hit all 114 PATs during his career in Blacksburg.
Also mentioned with the Hokies was Peyton Woodring of Georgia, Lucas Carneiro of Ole Miss, and Tate Sandell of Oklahoma, a trio of SEC kickers. It has been mentioned in this space that Love's leg is going to come into play in 2026 after he was snubbed from preseason watch lists. In fact, we'll predict that he will win two games this season for James Franklin with a field goal.
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